Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-08
State AFFAIRS.
The School Bill Providing for the
Election Of SuparinteEdents is Dis
cusSed bv the House.
The Bill, Tor RefGTmatOTy fer Youth
iui Criminals Receiving The Care.
fuI&tteHii0n OF cur Legislators.
a Great sch ms Proposed to- 5Iake the
Picus valley Productive by :, system
irrigHJing Canals
THE SCHOOL ELL.

Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, FEX, March The substi-
tute House bill No. l to establish and
maintain system of public free schools
in the STATE ard T. repeal 50 much Of
chapter ), Of title - Of the Revised Stat
utes referriug 20 public schools outside
of incorporated cities and towns Gssum-
ing control Of lheir Du0iic fee schools,
was under consideration in tee House
this morning. and was the subject OF
much animated discussion. The super
intendent feature of the bill leaving it OPP
tional with commissioners to create such
office met with some opposition and sew
erai amer dments 10 this section were
offered and voted down. An amendment
to add section to the bill leaving it with
the people through their trustees to petit
ton the County Commissioners court
who shall have the power to exempt their
county from the district system, after
prolonged discussion was lost, ard the
bill engrossed. This substitute school
bill differs very little from the old law,
except the provision relating TO the crea-
ZION Of the Office Of county superintend-
ents of the public schools to perform the
duties now incumbent upon the county
Judges. This Office is to be filled
at each general election by the election of
some person of educational attaInmsuts,
COED moral character and executive G6il-
ity, . qualified voter OF his county and
the holder Of frs grade teachers Ger
titlcJte, to hold bis Office for two years.
As the bill contains emergency clauses,
| and viii 20 in 0 efcc. from snG after its
passage, il provides for the appointment
by tie Commas ,oner's COurJ OF 9 person
| possessing the necessary qualifications to
tie Office until the Rex. general election.
wATgEED STOCK OF RAILROADS.
/ biz to require the Comptroller
TO furnish county boards Of equal
il ttiJn the status Of railroads
in their counties 50 that the watered
STOCKS can be made TO pay taxes, and
also to prevent capitalization, came up
ipr endorsement. Ia discussing the Tea
tura Of the bill relating TO The watered
stocks, these advocating lis passage
claimed that the railroads in tue state
based their earnings on the amount of
capital stock represented by the amount
as increased by the watertd stocks, but
when they rendered their property for
taxation they based it's value upon The &C
tual cost OF construction and not upon
the increased values represented by
the number of shares at their
face value. Upon the Information
furnished by the Comptr, Her, which shall
include the amount Of their mortgaged
bonds, amount OF Indebtedness and III
creased value by watered stock, Us ba-
sis OF information, the boards OF equaliZs-
ton, it is thought, will be able to tx the
value Of railroad property within their
counties. The supporters OF the bill say
that heretofore the railroads have been
paying taxes on about OEe-.hird to one
half of the values rs:cd in the markets
and stock exchanges; taat the Commits
s;oners' courts have been forced to de-
pend upon the companies themselves for
such values as they desired to furnish for
taxation, leaving the Commissioners With
out any data to guide them.
TIE REFORMATaRY BILL.
The Senate WAS wrestling with the re
fOrmatOrv bill during the evening session.
The bone Of contention seemed to bc the
yearly salary Of the superintendent OF the
restitution. The salary as reGulOted by
the bill cannot be less thsn $1,000. but on
the ground of economy some of the Sen
atorS seemed TO think that a suitable man
could be mad to fill the position at $500,
setting forth the qualifications necessary
for the position to be similar 10 ttGt OF over
seer before the war. Those opposing the
reduction claimed that Is the OBJECT CT the
institution was to elevate and reform the
youthful criminal, 1t would necessarily re-
quire q man above the ordinary qIalitci
lions of an oversecr. Though several
amendments were offered, none were
adopted, and the salary was not changed
from the figures adopted by the commit
tee. Among the amendments offered 10
the bill was one to include all women,
without consideration of age, convicted
of felony for term of five years, bat alter
brief discussion the amendment was 81
most unanimously voted down. After
several minor amendments were adopted,
the bill passed to engrossment.
PECOS VALLEY INRRIGATION BILL.
Mr.. George a. Knight of Pecos City is
here in the interest of the people of the
PecCs valley, to urge the passage Of the
bill Withdrawing one-hsif the state school
| lands from sale or lease, situated within
five miles Of the PecOs river, on either
side, 10 be reserved for sale to the Pecos
River Irrigation Company, who propose
constructing an irrigati1g canal 100 miles
IN length through said valley, with all
necessary conVenienCes for irrigating the
lands, in consideration that one-half of
each school section shall be sold to them
at 81 per acre, on credit OF thirty years,
Mr.. Knight said that he was meeting with
all the encouragement possible under the
circumstances, and believed il other
legislation did not crowd this measure
out by reason of the session nearing its
end, he believed it would pass without
much opposition. lie thinks il will be
grand investment for the state and will
enhance the value Of her school lands
from 81 and So per acre, to SO and 1926
per acre. Living in this VALLEY for three
years snd engaging in the farming Ousi-
ness, both with and without irrigation,
be feels justified in saying
that without irrigation the valley will
never become productive, consequently
will remain comparatively uninhabited
Therefore the people who live in this val
ley ere anxious that the Legislature pass
this bill. Mr.. Knight thinks the people
al over the state should be interested in